All That We Need To Know About Vegetarian And Vegan Diets

Until the recent past being a vegetarian or a vegan was seen as a fancy lifestyle choice mainly in the US, and anything that is at the edge of society has some myths and misconceptions associated with it.

Surprisingly enough such choices often spark a lot of controversy and rage among few sections of society.

All That We Need To Know About Vegetarian And Vegan Diets

Hence it is safe to assume that vegetarianism and veganism are shrouded in a lot of misinformation that we will be addressing in this section.

Are plant-based diets always healthy:

In recent times, more than one study shows that a plant-based diet is associated with good health.

Avoiding the consumption of red meat can reduce the chances of colon cancer, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

However, it is important to note that just as all meat products are not bad, for instance, lean meat can offer some significant health benefits, all plant-based diets are also not beneficial for health.

In order to maintain good health, a person needs to consume a diet rich in a variety of nutrients in a moderate amount.

Vegetarianism does not guarantee weight loss:

As we have noted earlier, all-vegetarian foods are not beneficial for health.

One can easily consume thousands of calories in a day without them being distantly related to animal sources. This can promote obesity in a person rather than helping in weight loss.

Individuals looking to lose weight should consider having a balanced diet rather than following any trend of being vegetarian or not.

Vegans and vegetarians do get enough proteins:

The most common myth associated with vegetarianism and veganism is that such a diet doesn’t include enough protein for the person consuming it.

For people following a vegetarian or vegan diet, the natural sources of protein include spinach, asparagus, broccoli, artichoke, potatoes, peas, Brussel sprouts, and sweet potatoes.

Moreover, the popular belief that animal protein is absolutely indispensable for building muscle is not true.

Protein can be derived from even plant sources, in adequate quantity, helps in building muscle mass.

 One can build healthy bones even by ditching the dairy:

It is calcium that is essential for string bines and not dairy, as the popular belief prevails.

Calcium is essential not just for string bones but for a variety of other functions in the body, like maintaining blood pressure, helping with muscle contraction, managing signal transmission in nerves, and aiding in blood clotting.

Leaving aside dairy some other vegan sources of calcium are, beans, peas, lentils, spinach, figs, chia seeds, sesame seeds, seaweeds, and certain nuts like almonds.

Pregnant women get their nutrition from meat and dairy:

 Proper intake of all kinds of nutrients is indeed crucial during pregnancy, but unlike popular belief, even plant-based diets can provide all the essential nutrients to the mother and the baby.

Since an adequate consumption of vitamin B12 is necessary during pregnancy, the American Dietetic Association recommends the intake of vitamin B12 supplements during the period of pregnancy and lactation.

Besides the supplements, fortified foods can also be a very good source of vitamin B12 during the particular tie period.

Soy does not cause breast cancer:

No evidence can suggest that a diet high in soy protein can cause breast cancer.

Such myth might have come into circulation by the study that showed that rodents who received large amounts of soy compounds developed breast cancer.

However, it is important to note that humans process soy compounds differently compared to rodents and that causes all the difference.

Although there was no clear evidence between soy and breast cancer intake, there was a link found between the consumption of dairy-based milk and breast cancer.The possibility of developing breast cancer can be associated with the history of cancer running on one’s family rather than the consumption of soy products.